PENDULAR MOTION OF LINEAR CS2 IN INTENSE LASER FIELDS

We present high-resolution measurements of the angular distributions o f S+, S2+ and C+ fragments from CS2 in intense, polarized, picosecond laser fields. Distinctly anisotropic angular distributions are measure d in all cases. Some evidence is obtained of lobe-like structure in th ese distributions; these are indicative of pendular motion of CS2 mole cules aligned along the polarization axis of the laser field. Results of classical calculations of the dissociation dynamics on an excited s tate potential energy surface are presented which qualitatively reprod uce the global features of the measured angular distributions.